Database/Fragrance/Methyl Eugenol
Mostly natural · ISO 16128

Is Methyl Eugenol natural?

Mostly. Clove-oil-derived eugenol is natural; the O-methyl cap is typically added using a petrochemical methylating agent.

INCI nameMethyl Eugenol
CAS93-15-2
FormulaC11H14O2 · 178.23 Da
FunctionFragrance · Perfuming
FeedstockUsually made by methylating natural eugenol from clove…

How we scored it

Eugenol backbone (clove oil, natural) C10H11O2 163.2 Da + petrochemical methyl cap CH3 15.0 Da = 178.2 Da; 163.2/178.2 = 0.92.
What counts. ISO 16128-2 scores the atoms that remain in the final ingredient. Reagents, solvents, catalysts and protecting groups used during manufacture leave no mass behind and are not counted.

Where it comes from

Usually made by methylating natural eugenol from clove leaf oil using a petrochemical methyl source. It also occurs naturally and can be isolated directly from some essential oils.

In plain English

A clove-scented fragrance ingredient derived mostly from natural clove oil, with a small petrochemical-derived methyl group added during manufacture.

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Structure

2D structure of Methyl Eugenol

1,2-dimethoxy-4-prop-2-enylbenzene

PubChem CID 7127 ↗

References

  1. 1ISO 16128-1:2016 and ISO 16128-2:2017 — Guidelines on technical definitions and criteria for natural and organic cosmetic ingredients and products. ISO, Geneva.
  2. 2Methyl Eugenol. PubChem CID 7127. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3METHYL EUGENOL. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4METHYL EUGENOL. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=METHYL%20EUGENOL